Nepal and India to inspect Koshi repair works

Kathmandu, June 11 (ANI): The Government teams of Nepal and India are to carry out joint inspection of the repair works at the damaged Koshi embankment on Thursday.

Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Minister of Water Resources, Government of Bihar, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood, Ajay Nayak, principal at the Bihar state government’s Department of Water Resources, Mahendra B. Gurung, Director General of Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention and Anil Kumar Pokharel, Deputy DG, Department of Irrigation, Government of Nepal will inspect the Koshi Breach Closure works.

They will also hold interaction with the media after the site visit.

The government teams are setting out for the visit following news reports of false claims from the Indian contractors that the repair works had completed.Tens of thousands of people had been displaced in Morang and Sunsari districts after the breach in the Koshi embankment triggered massive floods last year.

Koshi floods had also displaced Indians of Arariya, Supoul, Baguwan, Basanpur, Dumarwana, Dhurna and other parts of Bihar state that have come to Sunsari and Morang districts.

Under a treaty signed between India and Nepal in 1954, India assumed responsibility for constructing, operating and maintaining the Koshi project for the benefits of controlling floods in monsoon and receiving water for irrigation during winter. However, the Bihar government has been repeatedly drawing flak in Nepal over shoddy maintenance while India claims Nepal’s government failed to provide security to its inspection teams. (ANI)